From Dim Mak Regarding the Recent Release of the TAI “Indian Kill EP”

As TAI’s record label, we would like to address the recent release of the TAI “Indian Kill EP” and the controversy surrounding it. First off, we would like to sincerely apologize for any offense this release has caused. We at Dim Mak are a multi-cultural family, both in our artist roster and our company staff, and as people, it is not our intent to offend anyone by propagating negative cultural stereotypes.

So why did we release this EP? It all comes down to one of our core company values: we at Dim Mak require that our artists maintain their complete creative freedom. As an indie label built out of a college bedroom over 15 years ago, we have been unbending on the complete freedom of expression that is at the essence of the DIY culture. We’ve never felt the need to question our artists’ creative vision, and in retrospect we see that was a mistake in this instance as the artist himself was not aware of the negative implications of the release that he delivered.

Now that we’ve witnessed the earnest offense that the release of this EP has caused (especially in relation to an issue that is much more significant than a simple dance music single could ever be), we understand that there are some lines that cannot and should not be crossed. To put it simply, this situation forced us to take a long hard look at how we balance creative freedom with cultural sensitivity.

We at Dim Mak understand completely that a mistake was made. As such, we, in conjunction with the artist TAI, are pulling the release from all stores, and we, along with TAI, are donating all proceeds from the sale of the release to the Native American Heritage Association. http://www.naha-inc.org/

We sincerely apologize for any damage or ill will that this situation has caused.

You know, or you could COMPLETELY FUCKING IGNORE the cultural genocide of MILLIONS of people; men, women and babies. Caucasians are SO fucking quick to forget everything bad that their ancestors have done, and are STILL doing. Do you have any CLUE how many tribes have gone completely extinct because of European settlers?! How many different ANCIENT languages are gone now, because of Europeans, the French, the German, because of their disease, their greed and lust for power! Did you know there’s a thing called cultural appropriation? Like all the stupid fucking hipsters wearing our sacred objects, skanky bitches in warbonnets…warbonnets are for MEN, and only those who EARN it. That’s cultural appropriation, and despite what you may think, we don’t HAVE to share our culture with you. We are NOT your fucking fashion statement. I don’t know why it’s so difficult for people to understand this. Of course, the moment that anyone calls a white person out on this, “OH YOU’RE RACIST. Help! Help the white way of life is being threatened!” or “get over it!” You wouldn’t tell a soldier who’s killed and seen his friends killed to “get over it”, would you? It’s not about being a crybaby, you cretin, it’s about me and my people being turned into nothing more than a sexualized fantasy in the history books, AGAIN, with all thoughts of the shit our ancestors suffered FORGOTTEN. Boarding schools, that were little more than prisons for kids. Children were taken from their families by force, and beaten half to death if they even spoke a WORD of their own language. I know, because there are still people in my life who went through that, who LIVED IT. Lincoln hung 38 Dakota men because they retaliated against the U.S, were fed up with having their land stolen, their women and children abused, and being put down. I’m glad though, to see that DIM MAK and everyone in involved with this album are taking responsibility here, I applaud that. Miigwetch (thank you).

Censorship is when governments prevent something from being published. NO governments involved here.

A company changing its product when customers or potential customers don’t like something about it is just sensible business practices. And media makers/artists that choose to respect people who are seriously hurt by an insulting depiction are being ethical, thoughtful, and potentially even growing as an artist. You want to understand how your art affects people? listen to them and take it to heart if it’s a serious subject, which genocide clearly is.

An American Label, that didn’t know Native American’s would be offended? Pull the other one! Cheap, low Marketing strategy ! Shame on you all. You knew exactly what your were doing, and your plan worked. People who had never even heard of this artist, are talking about him. *clap, clap*
Would you have allowed the creative freedom to release a “Jew Kill” E.P too?

Cam, Dim Mak is responding to the market it wants to capture. Isn’t that what smart companies do? You could always listen to other music if you don’t like the fact that Dim Mak could see what was unethical (and unwise) about this EP and the associated images…or you could cry because they’re smarter businessmen than you’d ever be.

In 1996, Steve Aoki founded DIM MAK and developed it into an influential independent record label and music lifestyle brand. Responsible for launching the careers of seminal acts such as Bloc Party, The Bloody Beetroots, The Chainsmokers, Deorro, Keys N Krates and countless others, the independently owned DIM MAK has consistently pushed new musical movements via its staunch DIY ethos. With a back catalog hundreds of records deep, a history of legendary live events, and a fully formed clothing line, Dim Mak continues its global mission of promoting boundary-pushing music and culture ‘by any means necessary.’